The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-12
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A "POSITIONn MISSTATED.


Senator Morgan f. Weir of LaPorte, pos
sibly because of the fact that his political
action since his accession to Democratic ranks
has been such as to call down upon him, not
bosses, has been forced to the front by the
whippers-in to make an elaborate and care
fully prepared statement of the Democratic
position" with reference to the controversy
over the utenant-governorship This doc
ument appears in the Sentinel of yesterday.
and is editorially Endorsed and commended by
the party organ 1t is first to be noticed that
Senator Weir approves the action Of the SUI
preme Court although the Sentinel shrieked
"damn their cowardly souls for delivering
what Mr.. Weir thinks was an opinion they
could not conscientiously avoid. Mr.: Weir
also says that "while it is so often connected
with the matter Of the election Of the United
States Senator, in my opinion it cuts no figure
whatever in that connection" In this
Mr. Weir is certainly correct; the
questions of the lieutenant governorship and
the United States senatorship are distinct and
separate. They cannot be considered to-
gether except that the Democratic relation
to both is similar. in that the mob of revolu-
tionists do not propose that the Constitution
and the laws shall be obeyed in either case,
and that the will Of the people shall be vitiated
and do ,v, 1ofb ~, III
says that eff the election of Colonel Robertson
was legal. no act Of omission or failure Of the
Legislature to count the vote can have any
effect whatever On his claims He can take
an oath of Office before a justice Of the peace,
if he wishes, without any act or cooperation
on the part of the Legislature, and he is just
as much the Acknowledgements as if all the
forms Of law had been complied WITH
There will be and be no dispute as to
that. But will Mr. Weir be kind enough to
say what the purpose of the Senate,s adjourn
| ment over Monday was, and what the turbu
lent claim of the Democratic 'leaders of the
House. Jewett. Gordon s. Co., amounts to in
Tue iSuL Oi luiS confession.
After all these very proper statements, Mr.
Weir proceeds to say that if Colonel Robert
son persists in asserting his legal election, the
| complications" to arise are numerous and
| serious. He would throw upon Colonel Rob-
ertson and the Republicans these very serious
complications. when they arise, not from Re-
| publican action, but from Democratic revolu-
| ton. What question or Complication" would
| have arisen had Mr.. Nelson been elected
! instead of Colonel Robertsone Would Green
Smith then have asserted his extraordinary
claimg Who would have contested Mr. Mel
sons titlei He would have been indicted
into Office without a whisper of objection from
any quarter. He would have been presiding
over the Senate to-day, and Isaac P. Gray
would have been an active, and doubtless
| nation for United States Senator Mr. Weir
knows all this, and so does every other Demo
crat in Indiana. The responsibility for the
present condition of affairs is with the Demo
Gratis, and not with the Republicans.
! Mr.. Weir says:
1.-THE Republican party has. by its action
in two instances. said to the people of Indiana
that an election of Lieutenant governor
could legally occur only when Governor was
to be elected; as III the case when Henry s.
Lane was elected Senator, Governor Morton,
the acknowledgement. acted as Governor,
and no election for Lieutenant governor was
had to fill the vacancy; but the Senate. as
now, elected one of its members President pro
tempore. The same is true of the case when,
| after his election as Governor Morton was
elected to the United States Senate. and Con
| rad Baker became Governor, and there was nc
| election of Lieutenant governor to fill the
vacancy
This is dishonest statement of facts. In
both cases cited there was no vacancy" in
the office Of Lieutenant governor There was
vacancy in the office of Governor, but the
Constitution and laws state exactly how The
duties of that Office shall be filled in such ar
emergency, and Governor Morton and Gov
ernor Baker during the times specified were
Lieutenant governors discharging the dutie.
Of Governor. Of course 'sthe Senate elected
President pro tempore from among thei
members" Gin the absence of the Leuten
ant governor it was the legal right and dut,
of the Senate to do this; but it is nonsense
to assert, even by implication, and is lagrantl,
repugnant to the Constitution to say, that thi
senatorial President pro tempore could, unde
any circumstances ever become Lieutenant
governor or Governor de facto or de lure
} No President pro tenn. ever attempted to d.
! adopted, and in the face of the raising of the